Opera Scotland

Rigoletto 1945Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Rigoletto

As the war approached its end, the determined touring by the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company continued. The repertoire contained much the usual mix of popular favourites, conducted by Walter Susskind and David Ellenberg.

This Rigoletto cast was led by the great lyric tenor Heddle Nash, whose career stretched back to BNOC tours in the twenties, and the Maltese baritone Joseph Satariano, who would be a stalwart of the Carl Rosa for a decade. Appleton Moore and Martin Quinn were also survivors from the inter-war years, while the Duchess's Page was a short role to display the young soprano Victoria Elliott, at the start of an excellent career.

Full cast details for 3 April are from a programme in the Edinburgh Room collection at Edinburgh City Library.

The notice in the Aberdeen Press & Journal (18 April) gave a favourable review, saying of Elena Daniell that she used her voice beautifully and in ensemble held her part well.

The 1945 tour consisted of two weeks in Edinburgh, followed by two in Aberdeen then four in Glasgow.

W/c 26 Mar Edinburgh: Mon Tosca; Tue Traviata; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Rigoletto; Thu Bohème; Fri Tosca; Sat m Cav & Pag; Sat e Trovatore.

W/c 2 Apr Edinburgh: Mon Faust; Tue Rigoletto; Wed m Cav & Pag; Wed e Tosca; Thu Butterfly; Fri Hoffmann; Sat m Hoffmann; Sat e Faust.

W/c 9 Apr Aberdeen: Mon Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Butterfly; Wed m Cav & Pag; Wed e Faust; Thu Bohème; Fri Hoffmann; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.

W/c 16 Apr Aberdeen: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Rigoletto; Wed m Traviata; Wed e Hoffmann; Thu Trovatore; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Faust.

W/c 23 Apr Glasgow: Mon Tosca; Tue Hoffmann; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Traviata; Thu Tosca; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Cav & Pag; Sat e Bohème.

W/c 30 Apr Glasgow: Mon Trovatore; Tue Traviata; Wed m Bohème; Wed e Faust; Thu Barber; Fri Hoffmann; Sat m Tosca; Sat e Rigoletto.

W/c 7 May Glasgow: Mon Faust; Tue Tosca; Wed m Hoffmann; Wed e Cav & Pag; Thu Bohème; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Trovatore; Sat e Barber.

W/c 14 May Glasgow: Mon Butterfly; Tue Barber; Wed Faust; Wed e Bohème; Thu Tosca; Fri Hoffmann; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust.

Performances of Cav & Pag were accompanied by those of nine other operas.